Posts tagged Tales of an Excessive Spender

Chocolate might make you want to buy more

Consumer Behavior Consumer Marketing Customer experience Sales skills July 28, 2019 1 Comment

Indulgence.

What comes to mind when you hear that word? Indulgence?

For me, I think luxury, I think the Spa or perhaps a relaxing massage. I think of candles. I think fine dining. I think coffee coupled with my favorite piece of chocolate. I think a nice dessert. I think of memorable perfume.

Here is the thing about indulgence. When you start indulging, you kind of what to keep doing that — indulging.

That’s pretty much stating the obvious, but not until I read about the impact of injecting indulgence in the experiences of consumers that I realized the power of it.

Roger Dooley in his book Brainfluence, described how being offered candy actually makes us want to buy.

The reason free trials make you happily spend your money

Consumer Behavior Consumer Marketing Customer experience Sales skills July 26, 2019

I have heard it numerous times by people thinking of starting their own business, reluctant to share ideas or information for free, asking:

“Should I offer it for free?”

Not only start-ups or small businesses but also large corporations hesitate and think…

“But if we gave all this knowledge away for free, they wouldn’t need us. They will just go ahead and do it on their own.”

12 Questions to ask yourself before making an impulse buying

Consumer Behavior Self development Spending money July 22, 2019

Impulse buying can be triggered by many things, but one of the most prominent reasons is to feel good, as in retail therapy. On the flip side though, when you don’t have the money and still make the purchase let’s say on credit, you end up feeling worse, you feel the “buyer’s remorse”, regretting what you just bought - later when you go home.

Impulse buying has left so many people in debt, making them buy things they don’t need, and sometimes not use it altogether. With today’s buying on credit availability, if you are not careful, impulse buying could lead to serious repercussions of not only debt but also your psychological well-being.

The power of stating the obvious

Consumer Behavior Copywriting Self development July 21, 2019 3 Comments

THow many times have you sarcastically said, “Thank you very much for stating the obvious?”

I know I did, numerous times, perhaps even every single day.

In case you don’t know, I live on sarcasm. Maybe, I will figure out the psych-analysis reason later on, but that’s not what I am here to talk about. It’s good though to learn a little about me, myself, and I? ?

Moving on.

It seems like we are more likely to be cooperative and in a sales setting receptive to suggestions and converting to a buying customer when someone states the obvious to us. We can buy an idea, it doesn’t even have to be a product.

I have no idea why though, but if it works, why not try it?

5 Consumer behavior tricks you can use with your boss

Consumer Behavior Sales skills Self development July 20, 2019 1 Comment

A few weeks ago, I was asked what advice would I give someone just starting off their career.

I didn’t have to think, it was emotional intelligence.

I have seen so many people advance in careers even when they are technically inadequate because they know what to say and when to say it. That might seem unfair to some people, but as Bill Gates said:

“Life is not fair - get used to it.” - Bill Gates

While learning about consumer behavior, I couldn’t help but notice those tricks that were originally meant to seal a sales deal, but isn’t your relationship with your boss yet just another deal? Perhaps you could also use them with your date.

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So, what are these tricks anyway?

Raise your hand if you think sushi is so damn expensive

Consumer Behavior Customer experience Spending money July 19, 2019

First, let’s get to know each other a bit, do you like sushi?

If you don’t, carry on, you might still think this is interesting.

And if you do, then I bet you are a bit like me and think sushi is so damn expensive. It’s also not the first option that pop-up in your mind when you are in the starving state of hunger. Is it?

It’s an expensive yet delightful dining experience. You indulge.

But, why?

The question that just popped into my head, is whether you indulge because sushi is really that delicious, or because it’s expensive.

According to a study done by researchers at Standford University, …

How Bath & Body Works screwed up their pricing

Cognitive Bias Consumer Behavior Consumer Marketing Spending money July 16, 2019

Women love Bath & Body works.

Whenever I visit one of my friends who also happen to be a girl, I find Bath and Body works soup, lotions, candles, body mist, etc. all over the place. Men, on the other hand, like Dettol for some reason. They want to be germ-free I guess. Us, women, we want to experience that sweet scent, the tenderness that comes with it and the relaxation that gets diffused when lighting a strongly scented smell at the end of a long day.

Don’t get me wrong. I am in love with their products too.

Just pass by the mall and you will find women buying tons of Bath & Body works products. I am one of them.
I was extremely delighted when they started selling those products online.
Do you know what I loved the most about the online shop?

I knew I could buy tons and tons of products and I wouldn’t have to carry them around in the mall. I mean, if you buy candles, lotions, etc., they things really carry some weight. I like to think of my self as strong, but let’s just keep it to mentally strong.

The downside of online shopping though is that I won’t be able to smell every single scent and decide what to buy. Still, the good news is… I already know what I love.

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There is no doubt, most women love Bath & Body works… But, but, where is the but?

Do you fix things or replace them?

Self development Spending money July 14, 2019

In my hopeful attempt to declutter my too many stuff, I found many clothes I didn’t love - and for that, I feel blessed I can let them go.

I even discovered some clothes that I haven’t worn for a while, they were fairly new and I absolutely loved them. It was like I just came back from a shopping trip - that was nice.

There were also some clothing items that I wasn’t wearing not because I didn’t love them, or they didn’t fit, but rather because they needed some repairing. Something like fixing the zipper.

Last Friday, I gathered my energy to go to a tailor recommended by a friend…

What happened when I learned my blog was featured in the top 100 Dubai blogs?

Cognitive Bias Consumer Behavior July 13, 2019

My blog was recently featured in the “Top 100 Dubai blogs” list by feedspot. When I first learned about it, I was very excited since my blog is quite new. It went live on May 2019 so that’s just a few months ago.

I was thrilled and so I started sharing this news with others.

– First, I was working late at the office, so I told my colleague who I barely knew.
– Then, I told my close friends on WhatsApp.
– Then I shared it on my blog’s social accounts pages.
– The next day I was having a conversation with my partner at work and so I shared the news with her.
– She then shared the news with the workgroup on Whatsapp.
– After that, people at work started telling other people.
– And then the next day, I shared it again on my personal social accounts pages.
– Then my friend shared it on her facebook page.

In this process, not only did I share the news, but others, both close and not too close to me started sharing the news — offline and online. Ironically it was shared more offline than online. Not surprising to me though, I know why, thanks to Jonah Berger.

“Research by the Keller Fay Group finds that only 7 percent of word of mouth happens online.” — Jonah Berger

I started wondering, what in this news made me and others have the urge to share it with others… I mean from a consumer behavior perspective.

Are credit cards a blessing or a curse?

Consumer Behavior Spending money July 12, 2019 2 Comments

The moment you start getting your first paycheck and setting up your bank account, you find yourself bombarded with credit card salesmen trying to make you sign-up for one.

For the most part, they are free, so you say, “why not?”

But then again, you find yourself approached by some other banks who want you to sign-up for their credit cards as well.

“With our credit card, you get miles, you get free access to airport lounges, you get special discounts and offers, you get to pay now for specific merchants and install the payment in 6 months with 0% interest rate, you get, you get… and then you get some more.”